high beam indicator question

[Bo Dillingham]

I just spent a couple hours trying to figure out what is making a particular light on my instrument panel do what it is doing (and has been since I got this 65 in 2004). Saving you the gory details of getting a car that has been wrecked three times and worked on by who knows who, There is a little red indicator light in the top center of the instrument panel. It comes on brightly when I have the low beams on, and dimly when I have the high beams on. The headlights work just fine.

Though I have a library of service manuals, I do not have all of them for the 65 vette, and I certainly don't have an owners manual. Also, I have spent another hour or so Googling things related to instrument panels, indicator lights, etc. etc. with no luck. Should one or more of these indicator lights show up in a different place on the instrument panel? Should the low beam show up at all?

Note that I have read a similar post from October of 2004, but it is not quite the same.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Bo

 

[JohnZ]

If you're talking about the red "Lights" warning lamp, that comes on if the headlights are on (low beams or high beams) but one or both of the buckets aren't fully open. That circuit is controlled by a black plastic microswitch on each headlight motor; the plunger on each switch is actuated by the "Y"-stop on each motor. When the buckets are rolled down (closed), both switches are closed, grounding the warning lamp circuit, which illuminates the warning light when the headlight switch knob is pulled out. When the buckets are fully open, the switches are open (no ground, no warning light).

Photos below show the switches in position on each motor (light blue connectors on each end), and one of the switch itself, showing the plunger.

 

[Bo Dillingham]

Thanks, but another question

John Z,

Thank you very much for your reply, and especially for the photos. I did finally find my service manual, but even that didn't show any details about the microswitches. It was hard to find any reference to them even when I knew what to look for, and then I only found them in a diagram.

Now, in my car, there are no connectors attached to the switches (I found the empty connectors). I would think that would prevent the warning lights from working at all?

Any help with that idea?

Again, thank very very much.

 

[JohnZ]

Now, in my car, there are no connectors attached to the switches (I found the empty connectors). I would think that would prevent the warning lights from working at all?

Any help with that idea?

Again, thank very very much.

If the warning light is on and neither of the switches is connected, one of the disconnected wires must be pinched, chafed, or touching a ground somewhere.

 

[Bo Dillingham]

again

John Z,

Thanks again, and that makes sense to me. I will try to keep track of this thread, and post any progress.

Bo

 

[Bo Dillingham]

To anyone who may have a similar problem; the first smart thing I did was draw a simplified wiring diagram showing only the circuits in question. With this in hand, I started at the front end of the car, because it looked like the wire harness had never been detached from the firewall. Using a multimeter and a few wires with clips attached, I tested continuities, etc. etc.

It finally turned out to be the low beam wire and the common were switched in the last coupling on the passenger side headlight set.

Thanks again to John Z for his help.

Bo